Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/816

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��BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

��in Jefferson Township, on which he now lives. Mr. Geddes' father was born in New York State. He was born March 3, 1837 ; his wife, Elizabeth Zent, was born May 22, 1830; children — ^lary Lodema was born Sept. 2, 1856; Sarah Lovina, born Sept. 16, 1858; Isaac Alonzo, born June 13, 1861 ; Susan L., born Sept. 16, 1864; Emma Louisa, born Feb. 14, 1866; George Or- ville, Dec. 28, 1874; he died Sept. 11, 1875.

GIBSON, HIRAM E., farmer, carpenter and machin- ist; he owns a part of Sec. 31, on which his residence is located ; he came from Frederick Co., Md., to Jeffer- son Co., Ohio, with his parents, in the year 1815; in 1818, his parents moved to Knox Co., near the Richland Co. line, and subsequently bought land in both counties. He commenced to work at the carpenter trade about the age of 20 years, and made it his exclusive occupation for nearly twenty years, and at times employed three or four hands ; in the winter season, he gave his atten- tion to the manufacture of furniture; in 1849, he took a position in a machine-shop in Fredericktown, where he remained about three years. Mr. Gibson was born Oct. 1, 1812, and was first married to Elizabeth Elliott, in the fall of 1835 ; her parents came from Frederick Co., Md., and settled in northern Knox Co.; she was born in February, 1813 ; they resided first in Richland Co. one year, and then in Knox until the death of his wife, which occurred July 17, 1843 ; he moved his fam- ily to his father's, where it remained until his death, he then built a house on his present farm and moved in it the fall of 1853 ; he built a steam saw-mill on his premises soon after. The second time he was married, Feb. 27, 1855, to Hannah Woodward, who was born Aug. 1, 1815, in Montgomery Co., Md., and immigrated to Richland Co. in 1833 ; his children were five in num- ber and none except the youngest one is living ; his last wife is a member of the Church of England ; he was brought up in the Quaker faith ; Mr. Gibson has frequently been Township Trustee, and on jury; he was a juror in the famous Lunsford-Robinson murder trial.

GILMORE, ELIZA. She was a daughter of Chris- tian Swank ; he was born in Pennsylvania June 9, 1791; Susannah Downey was born Jan. 4, 1800; they were married in March, 1822 ; Mr. Swank came to Knox Co., Ohio, in 1818 ; their children are Eliza, born Feb. 19, 1824; George, born April 13, 1825; H. D., born April 9, 1827; Mary, born Jan. 11, 1829; Susannah, born Oct. 5, 1835; father died Oct. 19, 1869; mother died Oct. 5, 1857. Eliza Swank was married to Na- thaniel Gilraore June 9, 1859, and had one child, namely, Casper Nathaniel, born July 22, 1860; Nathaniel Gil- more died July 22, 1860, at the age of 88 years.

GURNEY, OLIVER H., was born in Waldo Co., Me., and is a son of Samuel Gurney, and his mother's name before marriage was Jane Cross ; his parents moved to Jefferson Township in 1839 ; at the age of 16, he commenced to work on the Sandusky, M. & N. Railroad as a brakeman, and in three months became a baggage-master, and in three years a conductor ; he was agent four years at the station of Bellville, and in 1862 and 1863, he embarked in the manufacture of rakes, and again did the station business some time ; he again went on the road as conductor, and ran the first passenger train out of Chicago on the Baltimore &

��Ohio Railroad ; he retired from the road April 1, 1878. In 1876, he and his son opened a hardware store in Bellville ; he is now leading rather a retired life, in the enjoyment of home and social surroundings; he was born June 10, 1835, and was married, May 10, 1855, to Louisa E., daughter of George and Betsey (Walkerj Howard ; was born in Jefferson Township ; children — Howard Worth was born April 23, 1856 ; Leonard B., born May 26, 1866; Carrie May, born March 25, 1873; Leonard died Dec. 22, 1863, and Carrie ^lay died Dec. 17, 1879; Wox'th was married to Hattie R. Reed Feb. 27, 1878 ; she was born Sept. 28, 1857, and is a daughter of N. S. Reed and Cordelia (Geddes) ; a son was born to them March 29, 1879, and he was named Rexford W.

HAMILTON, JACOB, farmer ; he is a son of John Hamilton and Sarah Colley, and was born in Washing- ton Township, Richland Co., July 15, 1835. He mar- ried Elizabeth Jane Holland, daughter of William Hol- land; she was born in Fairfield Co., Ohio, March 24, 1837. Mr. Hamilton has resided in Jefferson and Washington Townships since marriage, which took place Nov. 9, 1854. Births — Hannibal V. B. was born Feb. 7, 1855; Clarence, April 4, 1856; Abijah, June3, 1859 ; Angeline, Jan. 8, 1860: Florence, Nov. 9, 1862; Sarah, June 30, 1871.

H ARDESTY, NELSON, farmer ; is a son of Francis H., and was born in Knox Co. Ohio, Sept. 27, 1816 ; he was brought up a farmer, but worked at brickmaking some years afterward. He was married to Mary A. Durbin Oct. 9, 1845, and set up housekeeping in Mt. A''ernon ; he moved on a part of Sec. 28, in 1852, where he has since lived ; one child was born to them — John S., July

25, 1846, in Knox Co. He was married to Missouri Teeter March 4, 1869 ; she was born March 7, 1849 ; their children are Scott, born Jan. 26, 1870 ; Albert, July 4, 1871 : Eddie, June 11, 1876; Mary Iowa, Feb. 1, 1879, and died when 15 days old. John S. resides on his father's farm, pursuing the avocation of agri- culture.

HARRINGTON, AVILSON S., manufacturer; he was born in Bellville June 22, 1838; at the age of 13, his father moved on a farm, where the subject of this sketch lived, engaging with his father in buying, selling and raising sheep until 1864, when he moved to Bellville and became a partner in the foundry ; this firm con- tinued two and a half years, and was succeeded by L. F. & W. S. Harrington ; in 1875, Mr. Harrington became the sole proprietor, and to this time has con- tinued the manufacture of bells, plows, besides doing a general line of casting. Mr. H. is a son of Albert L. Harrington, and his mother's maiden name was Han- nah Fickle ; they were 'married in Bellville in 1832, and are still citizens of the village ; he came to Bell- ville in 1827. W. S. Harrington was married, Dec.

26, 1865, to Ester E. Calhoun, who is a daughter of Thomas Calhoun, and was born in Ashland Co. April 6, 1844. Children— Hallie B. was born Oct. 24, 1867 ; Loward W., March 17, 1872. Mr. Harrington built an excellent brick residence in Bellville in 1878 ; he has held various municipal ofiBces, and was Township Treasurer two terms. Mrs. H. taught several terms of school before marriage. They are members of the Presbyterian Church, and worthy and respected citi- zens.

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